Forget carbonation, oxygenation could make your liquid sin a little less harmful

There
are numerous dangers of being under the influence of alcohol -- from
damage to your body, to loss of coordination, and inhibitions (which
each can lead to countless dangers) -- nonetheless, the sensation of
inebriation is undeniably pleasant for most. So what if you
could have your liquid sin in a safer form?

That's
a goal that Korean doctors Kwang-il Kwon and Hye Gwang Jeong
researching at the Chungnam National University in South Korea feel
they have achieved. Unlike other research groups that have
focused on creating "alcohol substitutes" -- typically
liquid pharmaceuticals – the researchers examined oxygenated
alcohol, a popular form of alcohol in Korea. Oxygenated alcohol
has the same bubbly appearance as carbonated alcohols like American
beers, but instead of carbon dioxide, the main gas is diatomic
oxygen.

To test the health benefits of oxygenation, the
researchers gave subjects 19.5 percent alcohol uncarbonated drinks
and 19.5 percent alcohol oxygenated drinks at doses of 240 ml and 360
ml (about as much alcohol as would be in 2.5 and 4 80-proof shots,
respectively).

Intriguingly, the patients
indulging in the oxygenated beverages sobered up 20 to 30 minutes
faster. The more oxygen, the faster the return to sobriety;
patients drinking 360 ml of 20 ppm oxygen spirits returned to
sobriety 23.3 minutes faster than those drinking non-oxygenated
spirits, and when the oxygen levels were bumped to 25 ppm, the
participants sobered 27 minutes faster.

The study also found
that those drinking the oxygenated liquors had a lower incidence of
hangovers than those consuming standard alcohol. Those who did
experience hangovers found them to be less severe.

The results
indicate that oxygenation minimizes some of alcohol's negative
effects on the body. Sobriety is determined by how fast the
body can break down alcohol, and the quicker return to sobriety could
indicate that oxygenated alcohol is processed faster, leading to less
stress on the liver and other organs. Likewise, less hangovers
could indicate less changes to brain blood flow and a reduced risk of
brain damage.

The reason behind the faster
breakdown of alcohol appears to be that hepatic enzymes require
oxygen to function. When the oxygenated alcohol is pumped to
the liver, some of the oxygen sticks with the ethanol, allowing the
liver enzymes to operate more efficiently.

Describes Dr. Kwon,
"The oxygen-enriched alcohol beverage reduces plasma alcohol
concentrations faster than a normal dissolved-oxygen alcohol beverage
does. This could provide both clinical and real-life significance.
The oxygen-enriched alcohol beverage would allow individuals to
become sober faster, and reduce the side effects of acetaldehyde
without a significant difference in alcohol's effects. Furthermore,
the reduced time to a lower BAC may reduce alcohol-related accidents.
It seems that these drinks can maintain a high dissolved-oxygen
concentration for about 10 to 20 days before the stopper is removed,
and for 70 minutes after removing the stopper, respectively, at room
temperature."

Among the major manufacturers of oxygenated
liquor in South Korea is Sunyang Co., which makes the popular O2 Lin
spirit. The company claims that the oxygenated alcoholic
beverage, "helps clarify your brain, energizes your body cells,
and maintains healthy and resilient skin."

While that
might not hold true, the new study indicates that the oxygenated
alcohol may well be significantly better for you than its
non-oxygenated counterpart and be a more pleasant
experience.

Perhaps the only question that remains
is whether the oxygenated drinks can equal their non-oxygenated
counterparts in taste and mouth-feel. If they can, the study
may indicate a significant leap
towards Star Trek-like "synthehol".

"So, I think the same thing of the music industry. They can't say that they're losing money, you know what I'm saying. They just probably don't have the same surplus that they had." -- Wu-Tang Clan founder RZA